Chapter Seven

A day and a half, that's how long it had been since he had left his family, or at least the family who had adopted him, taught him to trust again, and just what it was like to have a family again. He felt guilty but he knew that he was keeping the people who mattered most to him safe from Ashlyn. They were driving towards Washington before they left until Ashlyn was taken down, they would become fly agents, working with whatever team needed them, but first a meeting with Director Leon Vance to discuss what was going to happen. They were about 800 miles outside of Washington when Annie told him to pull over seeing has he had been driving for the last 800 miles after he had took over driving from Kensi, who had drove for about 400 miles before they stopped for the night. As they pulled over so that Annie could start driving Kensi woke up, and climbed out along with Callen, he looked around all he could see was a whole load of woods. As he and Kensi both walked around to the back of the SUV Annie and Auggie climbed out leaving Cassidy sleeping in the back seat. When they went to climb in the back he picked up Cassidy until they were both in before he slid into the middle seat, putting Cassidy behind the driver's seat while resting her head on his shoulder, and Kensi climbing in behind the passenger. As they drove, Kensi began to fall asleep again, and by the time they had drove to the place they were going to stay she was sleeping with her head lying in Callen's lap. He gently shook Kensi's shoulders to wake her up, after a few tries it worked and she moved her head off his lap, and sat up, blinking to try and focus as it was now dark.

'Where are we?' She questioned groggily as she opened the back door to the SUV to climb out. Once she had slipped out of the car Callen followed and picked Cassidy up and carried her up to the safe house, following Kensi, Annie and Auggie. As they walked into the safe house, Callen spotted a note on the wall, he knew it would be from Hetty so he just left it and carried Cassidy up the stairs of the safe house, and found a bed for her to sleep in, once he had her sleeping calmly he turned and went to join the others. He found them in the kitchen, but before he entered he picked up the note, and read it

- Mr Callen, Director Vance doesn't want you in DC for at least a week so please just stay at this safe house unless you are found. Good luck and watch your back, Hetty.

He stood at the door watching as Annie, Auggie and Kensi laid out all their weapons trying to decide just how safe they were, but none of them could answer, five guns, six knifes and three pair of hand cuffs, unless Hetty had left them extra weapons, and ammo, they could be easily put numbered.

'There's extra weapons under the forth stair,' he finally told them, causing all eyes to settle on him, or at least in his direction. He walked into the kitchen smirking, as he saw the looks of confusion being sent his way, he didn't say anything but walked to the fridge and opened it instead.

'G, before you go searching for something Hetty left a note. It says, Miss Blye, Miss Walker, and Mr Anderson, please can you insure that Mr Callen does not get more that two bottles of the alcohol, and if he does, please tell him that I will carry out my threat, Hetty. What did you do?' Kensi told him, as he pulled out four bottles of beer, he sat them down in front of everyone before replacing the forth one in the fridge again, and going to look through the cupboards. As he was searching he found what he was looking for, bananas and lollypops, he pulled out a banana and went back to the kitchen table were everyone was sitting. Annie watched him as he sat down, she noticed that he was slightly pale, and then as he was sitting at the table she noticed that her eyes were out of focus and slightly glazy, it wasn't the first time she had seen him like this, and she was slightly scared. She watched him as his hands began to shake and his breathing became slightly shallower.

'G, when?' she asked out of concern, her eyes focusing on his, which were darting all over the place.

'Five… weeks,' he said in barely more than a whisper, speaking once again in Russian. This caused Kensi to face him, slightly scared, but more concerned. Annie stood up as soon as he answered, and walked over to him, she softly placed a hand on his shoulder, and knew that it was just to reassure him but mostly to reassure her, she felt him shaking, and it was then that she jumped into action.

'Kensi, can you get some cool water? G, where did you put it?' she asked keeping her voice calm, as she watched her brother silently protest with himself. She stood up after she asked.

'Bag,' he whispered, as his breathing became shallower, she quickly turned and ran down the hall coming to a stop in front of his bag, she began to rake though it until she found the small box, she turned and ran back into the kitchen, sliding to a stop just in front of Callen. She bent down and opened the small box, pulling out a small needle, with what looked like medicine although anyone else in the room wouldn't know, but she was sure. She watched as Callen spotted the needle and tensed up, but she knew she couldn't back down, no matter what, so she pulled the small cover off the needle, and without warning she stabbed it into his arm, he closed his eyes as the medicine began to work its way through his body, and his vision began to focus again, but mostly the needle was why he closed his eyes, he disliked needles, in fact he hated needles, and hospitals and doctors.

'I'm sorry G. I'm finished now,' she said as she pulled the needle out again, and he finally opened his eyes again. He waited until Annie was standing and had moved away before he stood up, his breathing had evened out, and everything was almost back to normal, apart from the slight dizziness that he was feeling, but he was used to it, but he knew that Annie was going to worry about him.

'Thank you, but I hate you Little sister,' Callen told her in Russian as he gave her a quick hug, before staring down at the box lying on the table, knowing that Kensi was going to be asking questions about it later, unless he was but something short of an miracle extremely lucky.

'You're welcome, and I know, but you hate needles not me. You better tell them,' she replied in Russian, before picking up the box and walking out of the room to put it back in his bag. He knew it was time to tell them, tell them about what happened when he was younger, why he was scared of needles, doctors and hospitals, why if he could help it he wouldn't go, and mostly what that box was.

'Kensi, can I talk to you?' he asked nervously, as he held out his hand for her to take, for a minute she hesitated before she stood up and took his hand. He lead her through the house and up the stairs to one of the bedrooms, he let go of her hand and sat down on the edge of the bed, and waited for her to sit next to him. Once she was sat down, he took a deep breath, looking at the floor.

'I should've told you this a long time ago but I was scared you would treat me different but you just saw that so I can't hide it now. When I was thirteen I got pretty sick, but I hid it, until one day at school I passed out and they couldn't wake me up. About a day later I woke up in hospital, and then a few days after that I was diagnosed with leukaemia, but by the time I was diagnosed I was already pretty sick, and it was touch and go for quite some time. The leukaemia basically killed my immune system so since I was thirteen until the shooting I got jags to keep my immune system going, but since the shooting I have to take them every few weeks, hence why I hate needles, doctors and hospitals. I should have told you Kens,' he told her still not looking up from the floor, she turned around to face him, and pulled his face up so that he was looking at her, she could see the shame in his eyes, but she could also see the medicine working with him. She leaned over and pulled him into a tight hug.

'Thank you for telling me,' she said as she laid her head on his shoulder, and he laid his chin on her head, they held onto each other for a while until Annie knocked on the door and opened it wide enough to peer her head around. She smiled, seeing Callen looking so relaxed for the first time since before she had been shot. She was happy for him but he should've told her and Auggie but she would deal with him about that tomorrow, he should be allowed to enjoy his happiness.

That night Annie sat with Auggie in their room talking about anything, and that was when Annie admitted it, she told him about what happened to her when she was younger, the day at the pier, but most importantly the first foster home she remember.

*Flashback*

She was six at the time, he was twelve, it was the first foster home she could remember being in, they both stayed with a couple, and their two children, a son and a daughter. The man, he was a drunk and the woman, she wasn't much better, she slept around, and their children weren't much better than either the man or the woman. She remembered the day that their son and daughter had been fighting and broke the couch, but they didn't admit to it, instead they said that she had done it. The man was drunk at the time, and swung for her, Callen, he fought off the man, but the man grabbed a knife, trying to slash her, but Callen jumped in front of her, causing him to get stabbed in the arm and in the thigh as the man came back for a second time. She watched as Callen fell to the floor, but he kept his eyes fixed on hers. He stayed that way, while he told her to phone 911, and told her what to say to the lady on the phone. That night, both she and Callen were taken away to another home, but they let her stay with Callen for the night, before she got sent to a girls orphanage while he got sent to an all-boys orphanage.

*End of Flashback*

She cuddled into Auggie's side, shaking slightly just thinking about what could've happened, and what had actually happened, to her and Callen. That was the first time Callen had taken a beaten for her, but it wasn't the last, each time she hadn't wanted him to but he insisted that it was his job.

'Auggie, I love you,' she whispered before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

Nightmares got him that night, as he slept. He had nightmares about his shooting, the first shooting, Cassidy dying, Annie getting shoot because of him, and of Kensi dying. He tossed and turned but he wasn't able to wake up, he was trapped and then he started to reply past scenes, like the first time he was stabbed when he fought to protect Annie. He must have started shouting out because the next thing he knew Kensi was gently shaking him. He swung out blindly, not knowing what was there, he heard the scream, but he continued to swing until he heard the scream again. He opened his eyes and saw that he had his hands around Kensi throat, he let go and started to back away. What was happening to him? Why was he doing this? Kensi had tears in her eyes, tears of what looked like fear as he backed away to the wall, afraid of hurting her again.

'Kensi, I'm so sorry,' he said softly as he slid down the wall at the opposite side of the room.